Firearm



Feb. 27, 1923.

c. A. NELSON FI REARM File Aug. 22, 1916 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 27, 1923.

C. A. NELSON FIREARM 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug 22, 1916 y u.. Qa

. CHARLES A. NELSON', OF UTICA, NEW YORK, SSGNOR T0 SAVAGE TION, .A CORPORATION .0F DELAWE. e

TEM" i.

IFI.

npplcation med August 22, 1916. Serial No. 118,227.

To all {whom/t wuz/y concern:

Be it. known that I, CHARLES A. NnLsN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, Oneida County, New York, have invented the following described Improvei ments in Firearms.

The invention is an improvement in shoulder fire arms and relates more particularly to the structure and relation of .the parts which 4control the breech bolt and the hammer or striker and their compact organi` zation .in the breech part of the gun, the object being to reduce the number of parts and simplif the construction,and especially to reduce the lengthwise dimension of the breech mechanism, thereby reducing thev weight and .improving .the balance of the arm. The. invention vthus .consists in the principles of assemblage and `cooperation of `the gear frame, sear, trigger and safety mechanism as hereinafter explained and more particularly identied by the appended claims.

Inthe accompanying drawings--` Fig. lV is a substantially central longitudinal section through the breech portion olfl -a gun embodying my invention, the safety mechanism being sho-wn'n elevation and at Fig. 2 isa top plan of Fig. l, the safety being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. l Abut'showing the safety bar in locking position;

Fig. 4 is Ya section o-n the line IV--FV of ig.5 is a section on the-line V--V of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is an edge view, detached, of the lug wall 1l. U

Fig. 7 is a perspective view' of the safety bar;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. l showing a variant form of the safety mechanism;

Fig. 9A is a plan view of the parte of Fig. 8, with the safety in dotted lines;

Fig. 10 is a` view vsimilar' to Fig. 8 but showing the safety in locked or safe posi# tion; and l 4 Fi 1l is a. transverse section on the line X-- l of Fig. 8.

In these nfigures the invention is illus- For imparting vthese endwisef; the rotary "movement serving to il S CORPORA- lock and unlock it-and the endwise movement to eject the spent shell, reload the chamber and cock the firing pin or striker 2. movements to the breech bolt the latter is provided with a side lever 3 guided in a transverse` slot in the lbolt and in a longitudinal slot when being pulled back or pushedv forward. During the return of the bolt to its forward'and locked Abreech casing 4 when rotating the breech the striker spring is put under compression and the gun is ready to fire. The magazine disposed in the breech case, below the bolt, lis adapted to contain the supply of cartridges laterally superposed and subject to upward movement into the path of the bolt by a spring-pressed follower 7 of 'usual .design. The bottom wall 8, constitutinga ioor plate to the magazine chamber, is removable together with the sprin and follower, by sliding it rearwardly an o of the ledges 9, to which ledges it is normally confined by the spring-pressed bolt 10 presentlyreferred to. The gun stock is applied to the rear of the breech frame so as to provide a space in rear ofthe' magazine lwherein are compactly confined the combination of members to which my invention pertains.

Referring first t@ Figs. 1 we, the meml disposed immediately .in rearof the maga 'zine' which it backs up and supports against rearward thrust, .and also` forms a connection between the receiver and the vlower frame member and trigger guard 12, the latter bein boltedto the llower endl-of the lug as also own in Fig. 5. The connection between' the receiver and trigger guard at thisl point forms Ia substantial reinforcement to the framework of the gun withoutmaterial increase ofi-weight as will be evident. 'At

- its upper-.end the .lug 'll is recessed to accommodate the 'pi-voted endv of the sear 6 and ,part of the trigger within the sear and it is also boredto form the socketsfor the 'v sear spring 13' and for they locking bolt 10 sprin and its spring. By thus recessing the lug it is plain that the sear-itself of appropriate length-can occupy a position fury ther forward than would otherwise be the case if the lug were not provided with an opening. The sear is fulcrumed on a cross pin 14: in the lug opening as indicated in the drawings, and its rear upturned nose projects through a slot in the receiver where it is situate in the path of the cooking lug on the striker 2. rlhe -trigger 15- is pivoted on a lshort cross-pin 16 carried by the sear and bears by its heel 17 against an abutment part 18 of the receiver, the point of bearing being in the rear of the Sear `ivot so that whenever the trigger is pull it rocks on its said abutment and thereby acts through its pivot 16 topull the sear downwardly so as to withdraw its nose from the striker lug 5. This movement of sear and trigger is lmade against the resistance of the sear spring 13 which spring is seated in the rearwardly projecting pocket bored in the lug 11 and impartsits thrust upwardly to the sear to press the trigger heel against its said abutment and thereby to swing the trigger forward until its forward extension 19 strikes a stop ofl some sort, in the present case thefulcrum pin '14 of the sear. rl`he engagement of the arm 19A with the pin determines the extent of the said spring-urged movement, and holds the parts in the position indicated by Fig. 1 with the Sear nose projecting into the path of the cooking lug as described. The sear spring is shownas acting on the sear by contact with a concentric arc-shaped surface of the trigger thus imparting its pressure to the -sear through the intervention of the latter and constituting a feature of oompactness, as will be evident. Obviously however, tthe could act directly on the sear if require orfindiiectly on some other part with the same effect. lt will be observed in passing that by compounding the pivot of the trigger upon that of the sear, as b-y pivoting the former upon the latter and by disposing the forward part of the Sear in the recess of the lug, these parts are brought into a minimum compass. The rear( side of the cooking lug 5 is bevelled as customary, to ride over the sear, as the breech bolt is retracted. Moreover, the forward side of the sear nose serves to limit this rearward motion and by pulling the trigger to depress the sear when the bolt is retracted -it can be further withdrawn and removed from the receiver.

The magazine `bolt 10 above referred to of the bolt protrudes normally into a recess inthe lower frame member 12 where it obstructs the rearward sliding'` of the magazine interes door plate 8. v'lhe ed'ge of the latter however, is perforated in line with the bolt so that the pointed end of a cartridge for instance can be inserted to press the bolt upwardly thereby unlock the plate 8 to permit its removal as above described.

The safety or-locking device for the improved gun is'in the form of a lever or flat bar having a compound tilting and endwise movement, from its safe7 to its fire positions. This character of motion combines effectively with the compact organization above described and permits a single part or piece of metal to lockcboth the breech bolt and the Sear and allows the safety thumb piece 20 to be disposed atthe top center of the grip where it is not only conn veniently operated and easily seen, but is operated by a forward thrust of the thumbto set it at fire. The-safety bar or lever referred to is separately shown in Fig. 7 and it will be noted that its forward end is offset and that for convenience this offset end is included in the sectional views of Figs. 1 and 3 notwithstanding these views are otherwise confined to the central section of the gun. The said bar is fulcrumed by its lengthwise slot 21 on a cross pin 22 in a fulcrum post 23 secured to the receiver. Its rear end is pivotally connected to the thumb piece 2O and the latter is slidingly held on a base piece 20a which is inclined to the aXis of the gun at anangle substanforward and upward movement of the thumb piece thus shoves the safety bar bodily forward on its fulcrum pin 22 and swings its forward end downwardly, while the reverse movementv of thethumb piece produces the reverse movement of the lever. The forward end of the lever is provided with two locking parts or branches; one marked 24 is in the plane of the thu1nbpiece and Sear and is adapted by the thumbing movement to shift into and out of obstructing position-to the sear on which an abutment seat is provided for it', as shown. The other branch, marked 25 being the offset portion, extends upwardlyialongsideof the sear (Fig. 4) and through the Wall of the receiver where it may enter a recess 26 in the surface of the breech bolt. When engaged in this recess the breech bolt cannot be rotated to unlock it and when the bolt is moved so 'that the recess 26 is not in registry with the end 25 of the safety bar, thebar can-- not be operated. Thus the rearward operation of the thumb piece causes upward and rearward movement of the locking ends to obstruct operation of both the .Sear and the breech Abolt while its forward operation producing forward and downward movement of the said ends releases them. Snap movement is provided for the safety bar by a spring detent 27 of obvious design carried soY by the fulcrum post 23 and which engages one or the other ofthe depressions in the top of the bar to` hold it in either of itsextreme positions. `The post 23 is formed with its shoulder .23a to bear against the under side of the thumb piece base 20a and is utilized as a means of securing the said base piece to the rear end of the receiver.

- As shown in Fig. 1 the upper end of the postextends'through the said piece and the rear part of the receiver, being upset upon the latter and thereby constitutes itself and the said base piece as a rigid part of the gun frame. The said fulcrum post serves the further purpose moreover of retaining the wooden stock to the'frame of the gun for which purpose its lower end is threaded and a screw 28 is used to hold the stock rmly engaged with it.

In Figs. 8 to 11 the general construction will be recognized as similar to that4 already described, the lug 11a corresponding tothe lug 11 of the rst form, but omittingthat rearward part which constitutes the socket for the sear spring. In this form the sear is fnlcrumed at 30 to the receiver and the sear spring 13l is housed 1`n the socket in the sear itself and on the forward side of its fulcrum, thrusting downwardlyon this part of the Sear and upwardly against the bottom of the receiver to urge the sear to its cooking position. The trigger 15a is pivoted as before on a cross-pin 16a carried by the sear and is adapted to rock by its, heel portions 1'?a upon the receiver to swing the sear downwardly. This trigger action is made against the pressure of the scar spring which reacting restores the parts `to normal position, substantially in the manner already described, and as will be evident without description. The safety b'ar` 31 having the compound tilting and endwise movement already described in connection with the safety bar of the preceding form,

' bolt.

and fulcrumed in the same kind of frame post 23, is provided with a part 24a which moves into and out of obstructing position to the Sear 6E. Its extreme forward end is connected by a slot and pin to a bolt 32 which is housed and guided in thesear itself and within the sear spring 13a and the forward and downward movement pf this end of the bar, produced by forward thumbing of the thumb piece 20, withdraws the bolt 32 from the recess 26al in the breech The opposite movements enters it in the said recess when the breech bolt `is closed and the eect is otherwise the same as first described. The lug 11sL also contains ther magazine bolt 10 as before and by its connection to the trigger guard reinforces the gun frame and supports'the magazine.

Claims: 1. Ina fire-arm of the kind described, the combination wth a longitudinally movable breech bolt carrying a. striker and means for releasing the ,latter7 of a lsafetybar having compound tilting and endwise movement whereby said bar obstructs operation of said bolt and striker.

2. In a re-arm of the kind described, the combination with a rotatable and longitudinally Amoving breech bolt carrying a striker and means for releasin the latter, of a safety bar having compound tilting and endwise movement adapting it to obstruct operation of said bolt and striker and a thumb-piece mounted on the t center of the grip to move lengthwise of t e arm and constituting the operating member for said safety bar.

3. In a {ire-arm, the combination cfa rotatable breech bolt and locking means therefor, including a bar pivoted intermediate of y its ends and a thumb .piece at one end and the opposite end being ,disposedl for locln'ng' engagement with the breech bolt when the latter is in ring position.

4. In a re-arm, the combination of a rotatable breech bolt and locking means therefor, including a bar pivoted intermediate of its ends, and slidable endwise in respect to its pivot into locking engagement with said breech bolt anda thumb-piece for actuat ing 'said bar pivotall connected thereto.

5. In a {ire-arm, t e combination with a rotating and sliding breech bolt and a pivoted Sear, of a thumb piece centrally disposed at the rear of the sear on the upper side of the gun stock land mounted to slide at an inclination to the axis of the tire-arm, said thumb piece being provided with a locking bar extending forward therefrom into the lire-arm substantially in the -central plane thereof for locking said breech-bolt against rotation and unlocking thesame and locking and unlocking said sear. 6. In a lire-arm, the combination of a rotatable breech bolt, a thumb piece at the upper side of the ip mounted to slide at an inclination to t e axis of the firearm, said thumb piece being provided with a locking bar extending forward therefrom into the fire-arm for locking said breech bolt.

7. In a lire-arm, the combination of a rotatable breech bolt, a-thumb piece at the upper side of the grip mounted to slide at an inclination to the vaxis of the hre-arm, and

a safety bar extending forward into the mechanism includin i pivotal sear,

9. In a fire-arm, the combination of a rotatable breech bolt having a locking recess, a firing pin, mechanism for releasing the latter and a locking mechanism independent .of said mechanism having a finger piece on side of the grip, the other end terminating in projections adapted for joint lockin engagement with the bolt a-ction and ring mechanism. l

11. In a side lever lire-arm having a rotating bolt, a safety lock including a movable bar contained within the breech case and provided with separate integral projecT tions at its forward end respectively adapted for engagement with the bolt to prevent the rotation thereof and with the firing mechanism to lock the same and an operating thumb piece on the top of the grip connected to said bar.

12. In a fire-arm, the combination of a breech bolt,- and a safety mechanism including a bar pivoted intermediate of its ends, a locking bolt pivotally connected to one end of said bar and adapted for locking engagement with the breech bolt, and a thumb piece at the opposite end of the bar.

13. In a fire-arm, the combination with a breech bolt, striker and sear of a'safety a bar adapted to prevent operation of t e scar, a part of said bar lying in the vertical central longitudinal plane of the arm and a part being oEset adjacent the sear and adapted to lock the breech bolt. j

-14. In a re-arm, the combination of a pivoted Sear, a trigger pivoted thereon, a safety bar having a thumb piece in rear of the sear andV having a compound endwise and tilting movement into the path of the scar. 15. In a {ire-arm, the combination of a a trigger pivoted thereon, a' safety bar having a thumb piece in rear of the sear mountedv to slide at an inclination to the axis of the fire-arm, said bar receiving compound endwise and tilting movement from said thumb piece. Y

16. In' a fire-arm, the combination of, a breech bolt, a pivotal sear, a trigger pivoted thereon, a safety bar having a central thumb piece in rear of the sear and having parts moved thereby into locking engagement with j the se'ar and the breech bolt respectively.

17. In a V'fire-arm, the combination of a breech bolt, a pivotal Sear, a trigger pivoted thereon, a safety Vbar having a'thumb piece in rear of the scar, a part of saidbar being adapted to obstruct the'sear and another part of said bar being laterally offset from the Sear-obstructing partv and adapted to lock j the breech bolt.

18. In -a irearm,`the combination of a sear pivotally mounted at its forward end, an upwardly 'acting spring intermediate of the ends ofthe Sear and in the rear ofthe pivot thereof, and a safety device having a portion below said scar and movable upwardly and rearwardly intb the path of the rear swinging end of the sear.

19'. In a firearm, the combination of the receiver having a Sear fulcrumed therein at the forward end of said sear, a trigger pivotally carried on the sear and a spring acting directly on the trigger` to hold the same and the sear in cooking position.-

20.` In a magazine fire-arm, the combination with the gun frame including the receiver, scar and trigger guard, of a single member rigidly connecting the receiver and trigger guard and constituting also av rear wall of the magazine chamber and having a rearwardly extending lug independent of said connection and presenting a socket seat for an upwardly acting spring for said sear.

21. In a magazine {ire-arm, the combination with the gun frame including a receiver provided with a depending transverse walled member immediately in the rear of the magazine, a Sear having its front end pivoted Within4 a recess in said member, a Sear spring carried by said member, and a lower frame member rigidly secured to said wall member.

22. In a magazine fire-arm, the combination with a gun framel including a receiver having a safety base piece secured to its rearwardly extending extremity a depending transverse wall on said receiver immediately in rear of the magazine, a lower frame member secured to said wall member and a gun stock removably attached to said last named' member andthe said safety base piece.

23.` In a magazine fire-arm, the combination with a gun frame including a receiver and a lower frame member rigidly united by a transverse. wall immediately in rearof the magazine, of a safety bar having a fulcrum post i rear of said wall and a gun stock secured to said post and to said wall.

24. In a'magazine fire-arm. the combination with agun frame including a receiver and a lower frame member rigidly united thereto by a transverse wall in rear of the' magazine, off a safety bar having a thumb piece central of the gun and a fulcrum in rear of said wall, a sear and trigger centrally disposed between said fulcrum and the said wall, a portion of said safety bar being central to the gun and a part beingoiset and lying alongside of the sear.'

25. In a fire-arm, the combination with the breech bolt, striker and cooking and releasing means, of a safety bar having com-l said sockets being disposed adjacent the pivoting point of the bar.

26. In a firearm, the combination with a. sliding and rotating breech bolt, the striker, and gunstock of a safety piece centrally disposed at the rear of said breech bolt and upon the upper side of the gunstock, and means projecting therefrom into the firearm and operated by said' safety piece for simultaneously locking said bolt and striker.

27. In a fire-arm, the combination with a breech-bolt and firing mechanism, of a safety mechanism including a member adapted to prevent operation of said firing mechanism, a `part voi" said member lying in the vertical central longitudinal plane of the arm and carrying a thumb-piece at the top of the grip thereof and a part being offset adjacent bolt.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specication.

the firing mechanism to lock the breech- CHARLES A. NELSON. 

